#molybdenum

author's note: it's been maybe a week.

(elimination scene btw)

This strange crystal acts like metal and glass at the same time

A newly mapped crystal can manipulate light in astonishing ways, opening the door to ultrathin AR glasses, smart contact lenses, and tiny high-speed optical chips.

Creating nearly invisible wearable technologies such as smart contact lenses and ultrathin augmented reality (AR) glasses will require a radical redesign of conventional optical components. Instead of relying on bulky lenses and hardware, researchers are exploring materials that can manipulate light at the atomic scale. A team from XPANCEO, working with scientists from the National University of Singapore and the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, has reported a major advance in that effort. Their study focuses on a layered crystal called molybdenum oxychloride (MoOCl2), which displays a collection of unusual optical properties that could help dramatically shrink future optical devices.

Redesign courtesy of @ichibin-irish and @sciphonpylon

This is based on the use of molybdenum in armor plating, particularly during the World Wars, thanks to its lightness and resistance to heat. Our "boy" still finds a lot of use in the modern world, mainly as a substitute of Tungsten in alloys.